Battlefield 3 PS3 MP Report #4

I haven’t played Battlefield 3′s multiplayer for quite some time. It’s not because it is inherently a bad game but there are some key design and polish issues that keep it from having the longevity and vibrancy that I saw in Battlefield: Bad Company 2′s multiplayer.

The lack of full fledged destruction affects replay value but it is the framerate that I find a bit off putting. It’s not quite 30 FPS at all times and after playing Black Ops II, the difference in consistent smoothness is noticeable. I can still play and if there was any reason to drop in and play a few rounds, I can do it and will play well. I just choose not to.

It is also wildly inconsistent with its visual make up unlike Bad Company 2. Certain textures looked incredibly muddy up close while others were fine. Again the lack of consistency hurts the overall product.

These complaints of consistency were always there but with the advent of new consoles and Battlefield 4. I can finally look forward to a superior Battlefield experience. With that in mind, I think it’s time to trade it in.

Next-Generation F.A.Q

question-blockI thought it would be a good idea to answer some of the hot topic questions people have been raising after the PlayStation 4 reveal. Many of these questions aren’t new and I’ve shared my opinions on some of them already but it would be a good idea to consolidate it all in one post.

 

1. How much would you pay for a PlayStation 4 and the next Xbox?

$499.99 CAD. I’ve paid over $599.99 CAD for a PlayStation 3 because I saw value with the backward compatibility but that was then. I don’t regret it per se but I don’t want to pay that much for a console again.

2. What is your stance on backwards compatibility?

Nice to have but not essential. I wouldn’t mind having the a premium version of a console with the old hardware chips included but if it means we can have more complex next generation systems at a lower cost, I am willing to give it up.

3. Would you pay $69.99 for next generation games?

No I wouldn’t but I also wouldn’t switch platforms or stop gaming because of that price point. All it means is that I will be further behind the curve while I wait for the price to drop to a number I’m willing to pay.Canadians already paid that price early in the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 days so that price point isn’t completely foreign to us.

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Call of Duty: Black Ops II (PS3) MP Report #1

call-of-duty-black-ops-2-logo

It’s been well over a month since I started playing the latest Call of Duty’s multiplayer. The fact that I’m still playing that mode a month after its release should speak volumes though.

This is the first Call of Duty multiplayer game that I’ve stuck with since Modern Warfare 2. But unlike Modern Warfare 2, I don’t see myself abandoning it anytime soon. Black Ops II’s multiplayer mode is the most refined version of the multiplayer that Infinity Ward put forth in Modern Warfare 2.

Multiple kill streak types are still here, perks of all flavours are in and so is the ability to customize load outs to your whim. So what makes this Call of Duty different? Why isn’t this game a clusterfuck of a mess like the others? Well, truth be told, it still can feel incredibly lopsided when someone gets on a roll but unlike the games before it, there are a number of precautions and smart decisions that were made to tone down the mayhem.

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Battlefield 3 PS3 MP Report #3

It’s been two months since I last reported on Battlefield 3′s multiplayer on the PlayStation 3. Since that time there have been a couple of patches to address balance issues and — more recently — voice chat issues.

The consoles have lagged behind the PC release where balance and other issues have been addressed. The consoles are still experiencing audio glitches, obscenely blinding flashlights and other minor faults that’s unforgivable now.

On the plus side, the Back to Karkand map pack was released back in December and have been a welcome addition. It’s not the new palette that I was hoping for, but they did offer a new mode (Conquest Assault) and they are larger than most of the maps in the main game.

I normally wouldn’t have problems with a stagnant game; I played Battlefield: Bad Company 2 multiplayer for ages without a single change. But Battlefield 3 isn’t Bad Company 2 — it has fundamental issues that detract from the experience and remind me that this game has issues still.

Here’s to a timely release of the next patch.

Ninja Gaiden 3′s MP Features Ninja Action

Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 featured co-op. Ninja Gaiden 3 needed expand and thus we have multiplayer ninja on ninja action. It resembles the single player action we’ve come to expect, but I wonder how broken it will end up being and if complex combos will be worthwhile.

Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 is slated for March 20, 2012 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.